2031 Atlantic hurricane season (Bromologist1)
Note: PLEASE DON'T EDIT THIS PAGE, THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS, ASK ME FIRST SO I WILL EDIT. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUGGESTIONS. :) The '''2031 Atlantic Hurricane Season '''was a hyperactive season, featuring 22 named storms, 20 hurricanes, and 17 major hurricanes which caused over $402.87 billion (2031 USD). Hurricane Geraldine became the costliest atlantic hurricane on record, causing $91.61 billion of damage. The season officially began on June 1, 2030, and ended on November 30, 2030. These dates historically describe the period each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin and are adopted by convention. However, tropical cyclogenesis is possible at any time of the year, as shown by Andrea and Barry. The season's first tropical cyclone, Andrea, formed on January 1, marking the earliest tropical cyclone to form in the Atlantic on record and also the earliest major hurricane, while 1938 Hurricane One formed on January 3. Tropical cyclone activity came to halt for about 3 months, until Tropical Storm Barry formed on April 17, and causing minimal damage to South Carolina. The NHC initially forecast the El Nino trend to continue, but quickly transitioned into a strong La Nina. Activity became to ramp up in August as Hurricane Chantal, Dorian, Elise, Fernand, Geraldine, Imelda, and Melissa reached Category 5, making the 2031 Atlantic Hurricane Season have the most Category 5s in one season on record. Additionally, this season had the longest consecutive major hurricanes, 11 of them. On December 30, Tropical Storm Alpha formed, and dissipated on January 11, marking the longest tropical cyclone to live, spanning two calendars. Seasonal Summary Systems Hurricane Andrea On December 29, an area of low pressure had a high chance of developing off of Florida's east coast. It gradually formed into Tropical Storm Andrea, becoming the earliest tropical cyclone to form in the Atlantic on record. After moving northwest around 2 mph, a cold front sweep through the East Coast, causing Andrea to move away from shore and over well above average waters (+20°F, 80°F water), strengthening into the first major hurricane of the season, and soon dissipated. Andrea only caused some coastal erosion on the Southeast Coast and 10ft. waves. 2 people drowned off the coast of Hatteras, North Carolina. 3 people died in a car crash from heavy rains in St. John's, Newfoundland. Andrea formed at an extremely rare altitude and the cause of it was from global warming. Tropical Storm Barry Tropical Depression Two developed on April 17, situated about 205 mi northeast of Great Abaco in the Bahamas. Moving west-northwestwards, Barry intensified into a tropical storm on April 18 and reached its peak winds of 60 mph. Barry weakened to a depression hours before making landfall just east of Isle of Palms, South Carolina, on April 20. The storm weakened into a non-tropical remnant low on April 21, before emerging off the coast. On April 23, Barry regenerated into a tropical depression just offshore North Carolina. The next day, despite increasing wind shear and cooling sea surface temperatures, it reintensified into a tropical storm and reached its minimum barometric pressure 996 mbars. The storm weakened to a tropical depression late on June 4 and dissipated on June 9. Bonnie caused rip currents, heavy rains, and widespread flooding. Some spots reached 10 in. 2 men were recovered after they drowned off of Charleston, South Carolina. Hurricane Chantal After a few months without activity, Hurricane Chantal was the first of 5 Cat 5s in a row, and also the first of 11 major hurricanes. Tropical Depression Three developed on August 2. A high pressure from the north caused TD 3 to move south. The high pressure moved southeasterns, causing the system to move northwest, and intensifying into TS Chantal. Chantal rapidly intensify into a Cat 5 on August 4. The next day it reached peak intensity at 165 mph and pressure of 924 mbars. 2 days later, it weakened back to a Cat 4 and made landfall on Cozumel, and then Cancún, Mexico with winds up to 150 mph. It weakened significantly, dropping down to a Cat 2 with winds up to 110 mph. It later re-emerge over the Gulf of Mexico and accelerated northeast from a powerful trough. Additionally, it reintensified back to a Cat 3 with winds up to 125 mph. It made landfall in Cape Romano, Florida and crossed Florida in 4.6 hours. It soon dissipated near Newfoundland. Hurricane warnings were issued at the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, Florida, and Northwestern Bahamas. High winds and flooding caused 87 deaths in the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, and Florida. In the Bahamas, most people thought that Chantal would past by as a tropical storm, and most of the people didn't leave their homes, take shelter, or evacuate. It resulted in 1,548 deaths, becoming the most deadliest tropical cyclone to hit the Bahamas on record. This was all caused the peoples' ignorance for not taking it urgently and not evacuating, as the government ordered. Hurricane Dorian A tropical wave camed off from West Africa and didn't developed for 5 days until deep convection appeared, causing the NHC to issue the formation of TD 4. Later that same day, it formed into TS Dorian. The next day, it rapidly intensified into a cat 5 and reached peak intensity at 220 mph and pressure of 862 mbars. This became the strongest hurricane to form at 12.3N. It later turned north and made landfall on the western peninsula of Haiti, and several other landfalls in the Bahamas, Florida, and North Carolina. Its final landfall was in Chatham, Massachusetts. Dorian caused 2,106 deaths, becoming the 11th deadliest Carribean hurricane on record. Hurricane warnings were issued across Aruba, Venezuela, Colombia, Eastern Cuba, Bahamas, all of southeast coast, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. Tropical storm warnings were issued for the same areas except for the Leeward Islands and Connecticut. There were 16 deaths in the Leeward Islands, 27 in Colombia and 15 in Venezuela. Flooding and high winds resulted in most of the deaths in Haiti, with 1,944 deaths. In Baracao and other towns and cities in Eastern Cuba had 52 deaths. In the Bahamas, people didn't want another Hurricane Chantal disaster again, so they were fully prepared for the beast, and only 46 deaths occurred. 10 deaths were reported in total across the East Coast from high winds and flying debris, 2 of the deaths were indirect, caused by a heart attack and a stroke. Hurricane Elise Tropical Depression 5 formed just northwest of Colombia, and moved north, strengthening into Tropical Storm Elise. It later moved northwest, and steadily intensified into a Cat 5. It peaked winds at 230 mph, making it the strongest Caribbean hurricane on record. NHC forecasted Elise to head south and hit Honduras with catastrophic damage. Surprisingly, it weakened drastically to a Cat 1 with 80 mph at landfall, possibly due to upwelling and eyewall replacement cycles. Its remnants travel across Honduras and Mexico, and regenerated into a tropical storm over Gulf of Mexico, it briefly weakened to a tropical depression, before accelerating northeast from a cold front and making landfall near Naples, Florida with winds up to 40 mph and gusts up to 73 mph. The remnants later hit Ireland and UK with 90 mph wind gusts and 30ft. waves. Elise was responsible for 11,436 deaths, the deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic on record. Although Elise hit Honduras as a minimal hurricane, its close proximity to the Honduras before it weaken (230 mph) caused catastrophic damage. For nearly 2 days with winds over 140 mph, crops, forests, and homes were flattened completely. Flooding led several deaths in Nicaragua. Elise caused moderate damage to the Yucatan Peninsula and Florida, with gusty winds and 4ft of storm surge. Ireland and UK had moderate damage too, with gusty winds, which uprooted trees and ripped roofs apart, and high waves, that caused severe coastal erosion to the Irish cliffs. Hurricane Fernand Tropical Depression 6 formed southeast of Cape verde and gradually developed into Tropical Storm Fernand. It later rapidly intensified to a Cat 4 with winds up to 145 mph at its initial peak intensity. It slowly turned northward, and underwent an eyewall replacement cycle. After bottoming out as a low end Cat 3, it unexpectedly strengthened into the easternmost Cat 5 on record. A few hours later, it weakened again due to upwelling, southwesternly wind shear, and another eyewall replacement cycle. A cold front accelerated Fernand and it passed 55 miles north of Flores Island, Azores before becoming extratropical. Hurricane Fernand caused 27 deaths. A ship sunk in the middle of Fernand, with 14 crew members, and 3 were rescued, while the other 11 were either confirmed dead or missing. Another 10 deaths occurred in Azores, caused by flooding. 3 people drowned off the coast of North Carolina and 2 deaths in New York City after strong waves swept 3 people away. Only one was rescued while the other 2 drowned. 1 death occurred in Antigua and Barbuda after rip currents pulled a man out to sea. As an extratropical cyclone, the British Isles were battered by tropical storm force winds, causing some damage.In post-anaylsis, Force reviewed that Hurricane Fernand had 180 mph winds, but everyone disagreed with that statement. Hurricane Geraldine Hurricane Geraldine was the last consecutive Cat 5. A tropical wave from Africa slowly headed towards the Leeward Islands. It slowly formed into Tropical Storm Geraldine. It rapidly intensified into a Cat 5 and made landfall in Dominica at 180 mph. Puerto Ricans were fearless of the storm because since Hurricane Maria, the government got support from other countries so they can build strong homes to sustain cat 5 winds. Additionally, they can sustain winds up to 215 mph. Geraldine weakened slightly due to land interaction, but quickly restrengthened and made landfall in Arroyo, Puerto Rico. Land interaction weakened Geraldine to a Cat 2, but strengthened back to a Cat 3 with winds up to 125 mph. Then, it weakened to a Cat 1 due to increasing southwestern wind shear. On August 31, a trough emerged from the East Coast, swinging Geraldine out to sea and finally dissipating on September 5 (extratropical after September 3). Geraldine caused 85 deaths. In Puerto Rico, weak buildings collapsed, killing 58 people in total. 4 people were killed in Guadeloupe by floods, 15 killed in Dominican Republic by falling trees and flying debris, 3 people drowned in United States Virgin Islands, and 5 people drowned in North Carolina from high waves. Miraculously, no fatalities were reported in the Bahamas or Dominica because they had plenty of shelters. However, damage was devastating across the Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles. A total $91.61 billion of damage was concluded, and the hardest hit was Dominica, and all residents lost power for months. Hurricane Holden On August 22, the NHC first mentioned the possibility of tropical cyclone formation from a tropical wave expected to exit western Africa. Two days later, the tropical wave moved off the coast of Senegal, with disorganized thunderstorms and a well-defined low-pressure area. Due to the system's threat to the Cape Verde islands, the NHC initiated advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Six at 15:00 UTC on August 24. The system organized into Tropical Depression Six at 21:00 UTC on August 25. Early on August 26, Tropical Depression Six strengthened into Tropical Storm Holden. Gradual intensification occurred as Holden continued west-northwestward across the central Atlantic, and at 15:00 UTC on September 1, it intensified into the third hurricane of the season. On September 2, Holden unexpectedly underwent rapid intensification into a Category 3 major hurricane. Rapid intensification continued and at 21:00 UTC, Holden intensified into a Category 4 hurricane at 22.4°N 46.2°W, farther northeast than any previous Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic during the satellite era. However, rapid intensification caused the now-stronger storm to veer northwards into a zone of greater vertical wind shear. Over the next 30 hours, Holden rapidly weakened into a tropical storm due to the strong wind shear, with the storm's cloud pattern becoming distorted. After entering a zone of less shear and crossing into warmer waters, Holden restrengthened into a hurricane on September 7. On the next day, Holden underwent a second period of rapid intensification and reintensified into a major hurricane. At 16:00 UTC on the same day, Holden reintensified into a Category 4 hurricane. Holden continued strengthening into the next day, reaching its peak intensity at 18:00 UTC on September 9, with 1-minute sustained winds of 145 mph and a minimum central pressure of 930 millibars. Before impacting the coast however, Holden underwent an eyewall replacement cycle and encountered moderate wind shear, weakening it to a Category 2 hurricane. Holden quickly weakened into a tropical depression inland, and the NHC issued its last advisory at 10:00 UTC on September 11, passing on responsibility to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC). At that point, Holden had also begun to gradually accelerate westward. On September 12, Holden slowly turned to the northeast, while continuing to weaken. Late on the same day, Holden transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, while situated over West Virginia. Holden still posed a threat inland, as it dumped tremendous amounts of rain on the Eastern Seaboard. The system finally dissipated in the open Atlantic on September 18. Holden posed a major threat to the East Coast of the United States, especially North Carolina and South Carolina, which declared states of emergency, along with Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The NHC issued its first hurricane watches at 9:00 UTC on September 11. Hurricane Holden killed 54 people in the U.S., and caused an estimated $24.23 billion in damages. Hurricane Imelda An area of disturbed weather was designated Tropical Depression Nine on August 28. It was named Tropical Storm Imelda early the next day, before becoming a hurricane on the same day. Tracking generally westward, it rapidly intensified into a Cat 5 with winds up to 185 mph and a pressure of 905 mbars. Later that same day, Imelda went through an eyewall replacement cycle, which prompted Imelda to weaken to a Cat 4. On September 4, Imelda strengthened back to a Cat 5 with winds up to 175 mph. It quickly weaken inland and the remnants dissipated on September 7. Imelda killed 133 people (130 direct, 3 indirect). When Imelda passed close by the ABC Islands, it resulted in gusty winds and heavy rainfall. In Curacao, flooding submerged many houses and in Aruba, wind damaged one house and briefly left a northern town without power. 10ft waves were reported on the coast of Venezuela. When Imelda pummeled Nicaragua, it became the southernmost Cat 5 landfall. Trees were flatten and people drowned from storm surge or flooding. Imelda became the worse disaster to ever occur in Nicaragua. Hurricane Jason A tropical wave from Africa quickly developed into Hurricane Jason. On September 3, Jason rapidly intensified into a high-end Cat 4. The Northern Leeward Islands were issued a hurricane warning, and all the governments said that this could be a catastrophic disaster. Luckily, an unexpected northwest turn occurred, spearing Antigua and Barbuda. Only flooding caused $500,000 of damage. Jason executed an anti-cyclonic loop and weakened to a high-end tropical storm. It strengthened back to a Cat 1 with winds up to 90 mph. The Northeast started to prepare because tropical storm and hurricane warnings were issued, and this is the first time since 2012 it has happened. Again, it didn't make landfall and stalled, before dissipating. Jason only caused $4.125 million of damage from coastal erosion and flooding and one fatality, In New Jersey, one women was found unconscious after being caught in a rip current in Asbury park. She died the next day in the hospital. Hurricane Karen An invest quickly developed in Tropical Storm Karen. In the Bahamas, people feared that the system will strengthen rapidly and prompted tropical storm warnings. Tropical Storm Karen passed east of the Northwestern Bahamas and rapidly intensified into a Cat 3. A cold front from the west accelerated Karen away from the East Coast and headed toward Bermuda. Hurricane warnings were issued and on September 14, Hurricane Karen's eastern portion of its eye passed over Bermuda. On September 16, it started to transitioned into a extratropical cyclone and its remnants impacted the British Isles. Karen killed one person, while the other one remains missing. A women drowned at Topsail Beach, North Carolina while a 22-year-old man went missing at St. Augustine Beach, Florida. In Bermuda, Karen knocked out 80% of the electric grid, plunging it into a blackout. Hurricane Liam Hurricane Liam formed east of Leeward Islands with winds up to 40 mph, it later opened up into a trough from hositle conditions. Soon, it regenerated in the Bay of Campeche and rapidly intensified into a Cat 4, making landfall between Port Aransas and Port O'Conner. It stalled over land for about 2 days before a light steering pattern moved Liam back to the Gulf of Mexico, causing some slight intensification from wind shear with winds up to 50 mph and struck west of Cameron, Louisiana. On September 22, the remnants dissipated over Kentucky. Hurricane Liam caused little to no damage in Leeward Islands and when it struck Texas and Louisiana, over 60 inches of rain fell, making it the wettest tropical cyclone on record. 68 direct deaths and 39 indirect deaths were reported. Hurricane Melissa Hurricane Melissa generated from a tropical wave from Western Africa and gradually formed into a tropical storm. Melissa strengthened into a Cat 1 hurricane and briskly moved between St. Lucia and Martinique. The eyewall caused some damage there. After passing through, it rapidly intensified into a Cat 5 with an initial peak of 165 mph. Than it weakened due to an eyewall replacement cycle, while passing south of Jamaica. On September 20, Melissa strengthened back to a Cat 5 with a peak of 175 mph and a pressure of 900 mbars. It made landfall as a Category 5 storm in Quintana Roo's Costa Maya region, 40 mi northeast of the border between Mexico and Belize, and weakened on its way over land, reemerging on the western side of Yucatán as a Category 1 storm. Melissa regained strength as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico, and made its second landfall as a Category 2 storm on September 23, at around 11:30 CDT, near Tecolutla, Veracruz, to the south of Tuxpan, where after it moved westward, losing strength and disintegrating over central Mexico. A small remnant circulation reached the Pacific Ocean,eventually moving northwestward around an anticyclone, roughly parallel to the Mexican coast and finally back inland over the southwestern United States, where it completely dissipated on September 25. Melissa caused 45 deaths (40 direct, 5 indirect.) In the Lesser Antilles, the storm knocked out 40% of the electric grid on both islands. Only 1 fatality occurred after a man got hit by flying debris. After the storm passed, it destroyed all of its banana crop and 70% of the islands' sugar cane crop.In Jamaica, Melissa's eyewall caused catastrophic damage in many towns, including Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. Houses were flatten by persistent strong winds and the country plunged into a blackout. After Melissa passed Jamaica, the Mexican goverment declared a state of emergency for Quintana Roo and all tourists were forbidden to visit the area. Melissa was projected to hit the area with winds up to 150 mph. A hurricane watch was issued on September 18. In Belize, hurricane watchs and warnings were finally issued on September 19 because Melissa's path of uncertainty didn't include Belize until that day. On September 20, Melissa unexpectedly strengthened back to a Cat 5 and reached peak intensity at landfall. Wind gusts of 200 mph were reported. The state tourist cities of Cancun and Cozumel were spared the worst of the storm, but it wrecked havoc in Chetumul, 40 mi south of landfall, causing devastating damage, such as the Museum of the Mayan culture, and significant flooding. At Cayman Islands, people experienced high surf and heavy rain, though there was a brief power outage from wind gusts in Grand Cayman. Besides that, in Belize, the town of Corozal experienced the worst of the storm, with down trees, flooding, and severe damage to agriculture. Sugar cane fields were destroyed, resulting in 3.6 million Belize dollars ($1.787 USD). It was the worst year on record, with only producing 980K lb of sub-standard cane, compared to last year 1.2 million lb of high quality cane. In Veracruz, the stormed caused less devastating damage, but the governor said that there was a "tremendous amount of damage." 4-8 inches of rain fell in Jalisco and Nayarit. A mudslide fell on 10 houses, killing a person in Jalisco. Five people were killed in Puebla by landslides, and one more was crushed after a wall on his house collapsed. One person in Veracruz was electrocuted after touching a power line while doing roof repairs. In Michoacán, a man was struck by lightning under a tree in the outer bands of the storm, and two people died in Hidalgo when the roof collapsed in their house. Hurricane Melissa killed 12 people in Mexico but remarkably no one was killed by its first (and catastrophically powerful) landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. Between the two landfalls damages, focused mainly in the agricultural sector, totaled Mex$2.05 billion (US$160 million). Although Melissa didn't affect the US, heavy surf and rip currents were reported in Florida, which 1 person drowned and 35 people were rescued. The remnants of Melissa crossed the Mojave Desert, causing heavy rain in Las Vegas, and set a daily record of 0.58 in. of rain. Only flash flooding and minor damage occurred. Hurricane Nestor A vigorous tropical wave approached off West Africa and quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Nestor. On September 16, it rapidly intensified into a high-end Cat 2 hurricane. After moving north, it encountered increasing shear, weakening the system back down to a tropical storm. Steering currents collapsed, causing it to meander around a couple of days. Finally, on September 21, Nestor weakened to a tropical depression from high wind shear and the remnants dissipated the next day over cooler water. Hurricane Nestor passed close to Cape Verde, but no impact, damage, or fatalities occurred. No ships were reported to have come contact with Nestor. When Nestor became a tropical storm at 24.8°W, it became the easternmost storm on record. Hurricane Orva A vigorous tropical wave followed Hurricane Nestor and quickly organized into Tropical Storm Orva. Although Orva had a large window of favorable development, it was in a low wind shear area, but not warm waters (77°F). On September 23, Orva moved over warmer waters and rapidly intensified into a Cat 3. Right after peak intensity it rapidly weakened to a minimal Cat 1 hurricane, under the influence of strong wind shear, but those conditions quickly stackened. Hurricane Orva briefly strengthened back to a Cat 2, before undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, weakening it to a tropical storm, and heading east of Bermuda. A large upper level low steered Orva east and southeast, and as the storm developed an eye and convection again, the NHC upgraded it back to a Cat 1. A trough off the East Coast of the United States force Orva to move over cooler waters and dissipated on October 7. Hurricane Orva caused some rainfall in Cape Verde, but no damage or fatalities occurred. As it headed toward Bermuda on September 26, the BWS (Bermuda Weather Service) issued tropical storm warnings and watches. On September 30, Orva made it's final approach to Bermuda, causing some roads to close due to flooding, tree limbs were broken by 91 mph gusts, and downed power lines. It cut electricity to 7,500 homes, but Bermuda's electric company quickly fix the blackout. A total of 4.77 in of rain fell at the L.F. Wade International Airport. Although Orva didn't directly impact the East Coast, 117 people had to be rescued and 55 injuries occurred in Delaware, ranging from minor scrapes to broken bones. Another 4 injuries and 3 deaths occurred in North Carolina, with one swimmer who nearly drowned before a lifeguard rescued him. Hurricane Pablo Tropical Storm Pablo formed in a well unfavorable area with high wind shear. It soon unexpectedly rapidly intensified into a Cat 2 with winds up to 105 mph, but quickly weakened to a minimal tropical storm due to strong wind shear and a high pressure. Pablo continued to move erratically. When conditions became more favorable, Pablo enabled a tremendous burst of deep convection, caused by unusually warm temperatures, and still survived 50+ mph of wind shear, which perplexed NHC forecasters. On October 4, Pablo underwent another period of rapid intensification with winds up to 145 mph and a pressure of 927 mbars. Shortly after peak intensity, it weakened back to a Cat 3 with winds up to 125 mph. Later that day, the western part of the eye made landfall in Bermuda, although the exact center remained just to the east. Southwesternly wind shear weakened it to a minimal Cat 1. Pablo soon undergo a warm seclusion, intensifying to winds up to 90 mph. Shortly after, Pablo slowed tremendously and the wind field expanded drastically. On October 11 it finally transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. Hurricane Pablo surprisingly caused no fatalities in Bermuda, only on the East Coast. On October 1, the BWS issued hurricane watches and warnings. The next day, gusty winds from Pablo's circulation caused a brief power outage. On Pearl Island, a weather station recorded winds up to 87 mph and gusts up to 119 mph. Additionally, the hurricane dropped 6.77 in. of rain. When Pablo made landfall in Bermuda, strong winds brought down trees and powerlines, leaving 27,341 households, about 90% of all electric costumers in the territory without power, but was restored in a few days. Even after the storm's passage, there was still isolated power outages from salt deposits. Dozen of boats were ripped from their moorings, left damaged, sunken, or crushed upon the rocky sections of the coastline. Pablo's large size affected the whole East Coast, including Puerto Rico. In North Carolina, 2 teens were pulled out to sea, with only one swimming to shore safely while the other one drowned. In Puerto Rico a surfer went missing from high waves; a few days later he was announced dead. In Florida, swells combined with the annual king tide rose water levels 3ft above sea level, submerging many roads. 20 to 30 people were rescued from rip currents in South Florida. Hurricane Rebekah A upper-level low accompanied by a surface trough formed into Hurricane Rebekah. As it headed toward the Bahamas, it rapidly intensified into a Cat 4 with winds up to 130 mph, and made landfall in Samana Bay. Also, the eye retracted from 41 to 27 mi. A ridge from its north became to weaken, causing Rebekah to meander around the Bahamas. Due to its slow movement, upwelling and an eyewall replacement cycle weakened it to a high-end Cat 3., and made another landfall at the same intensity on San Salvador Island. An amplifying trough over the Southeastern US enhanced southwesterly flow over Rebekah, causing it to accelerate northeast away from the Bahamas. Rebekah then intensified back to a Cat 4 with a peak intensity of 155 mph. On flight-level winds, the system had winds up to 166 mph. Rebekah began to deteriorate and passed 70 mi northwest of Bermuda. On October 17, Rebekah transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. Hurricane Rebekah brought up to 18 ft. of storm surge across the islands that were affected by the eyewall. 95% of all crops were destroyed by high winds and storm surge. Rebekah also became one of the strongest hurricanes to impact the Bahamas. All residents in Central Bahamas lost power for weeks. As Rebekah passed by Bermuda, wind gusts up to 72 mph were reported at the airport, while 115 mph gusts were reported at more exposed and elevated points. However, property damage was relatively minor. Hurricane Sebastian An area of low pressure formed into Tropical Storm Sebastian along a stationary front. Despite over marginally warm waters, cold air temperatures aloft and low wind shear caused Sebastian to rapidly intensified into a Cat 2 with winds up to 105 mph. A large mid-altitude trough caused Sebastian to accelerate northeast, weakening slightly back to a Cat 1 from moderate wind shear, but wind shear settled down once again. Sebastian rapidly intensified to a Cat 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph at 27.7°W, becoming the easternmost major hurricane on record. On October 15, increasing wind shear and 68°F water caused Sebastian to weaken, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone On October 18. Hurricane Sebastian was forecasted to impact Spain and Portugal, but stayed well off the coast. This caused many wildfires across the area, including the UK. High winds spread the wildfires quickly and also downed large trees. In the UK and Ireland, gusts reached up to 119 mph. In Estonia, black rain fell from the smoke and dust. In the Azores, only some wind gusts broke some trees limbs and downed a few trees. Impacts were relatively minor, with some flooding in the Azores. However, Western Europe experienced most of the damage from fires, resulting in $127.4 million of damage. In Northern Ireland, 3 people were killed in a major accident from slippery and wet conditions on a highway. Hurricane Tanya A broad area of low pressure gradually formed into Tropical Storm Tanya. It later made landfall in Puerto Cabezas. After landfall, Tanya was propelled by the Central American Gyre, moving at 29 mph and becoming the fastest-moving gulf hurricane. Tanya soon made landfall in the mouth of the Mississippi River with winds up to 85 mph. Its 2nd landfall was in Biloxi, Mississippi with winds up to 75 mph. On October 17, its extratropical remnants rotated around another extratropical cyclone before dissipating. Tanya caused 48 deaths and destroyed over 7,000 houses. During its formative stages, the precursor disturbance interacted with the monsoon trough to produce widespread cloudiness over Panama in the first week of October. Flooding rains fell over much of the Talamanca and Central mountain ranges, including the west-central provinces of Chiriquí, Ngäbe-Buglé, Veraguas, Panamá Oeste, Bocas del Toro, and Coclé, as well as Colón and Guna Yala along the Atlantic coast. On October 3, Panamanian officials issued an alert for heavy rain with strong gusts and urged residents on the riverbanks of Río de Jesús to evacuate. In Ngäbe-Buglé, a landslide killed six people. Squally rains downed trees, damaged roofs, and flooded homes throughout Veraguas and Chiriqui; in the latter province, 150 homes in Puerto Armuelles were affected, and two people required rescue from the cascading waters of a river in the San Lorenzo District. Trees fell onto roads and homes in Panamá Oeste, Panamá Este, San Miguelito and Herrera, causing light damage. A few landslides impacted the roads in those regions, leaving some impassable and obstructing an important traffic junction in Viguí. Blustery conditions associated with Tanya affected 4,975 people throughout Panama and damaged or destroyed 84 houses. One person died in a shipwreck in Panama Bay. The Caribbean shores of Nicaragua were placed under alert as the precursor disturbance thrived, interacting with surrounding low pressures to produce widespread rainfall as early as October 3. Upon Tanya's formation, a tropical storm warning was issued for the coast. Widespread flooding damaged or destroyed 5,953 homes, the vast majority in the Rivas Department, directly affecting approximately 29,000 people. At least 16 people died throughout Nicaragua while 1 other person was reported missing as of October 8. At the risk of flooding rains, Costa Rica's Central Valley, Pacific coast, and Huetar Norte region were placed under red alert for at least 3 days, starting on October 4, while a yellow alert was issued for the Caribbean coast. The greatest quantities, reaching 19.19 inches, fell in Maritima; many other central Pacific locales, such as Quepos, recorded over 4.7 inches that day. In contrast, the capital of San José received no more than 1.4 inches. In the canton of Oreamuno, Cartago Province, a bridge and part of a riverside house succumbed to the forces of a river, swollen from the initial rains on October 3. By October 5, the situation culminated: muddy waters surged through streets, neighborhoods, and even homes—some submerged to their roofs—as an increasing number of rivers burst their banks. About 800 residents living in risk zones had to be rescued, including 200 in Palmar Norte when the overflowing Térraba River swept away houses and belongings. The storm cut off drinking water to nearly 500,000 people, and left 18,500 without power. Torrents, landslides, and fallen trees—particularly in the provinces of Cartago, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Alajuela, and San José—claimed the lives of 14 people, and forced 11,300 into 170 shelters across Costa Rica. The flooding was the worst to hit the country in recent years, leading to the "biggest crisis in Costa Rican history" according to President Luis Guillermo Solís. In response, Solís declared a state of emergency for the entire country on October 6, as well as a national day of mourning. The country's infrastructure, especially the road networks in southern regions, sustained tremendous damage from expansive flooding, landslides and subsidence; 117 roads throughout all provinces but Limón were affected in some way or form, 40 of which were rendered impassable. Spanning 413 mi through Costa Rica, the Inter-American Highway suffered various degrees of damage at 112 different sites, ranging from superficial cracks and potholes, to total structural failures. At least 42 bridges collapsed, many waterways and drainage systems were overwhelmed, and a number of routes were practically "wiped out", isolating villages and leading to widespread disruptions in the transport sector. Many petrospheres at the World Heritage archaeological site of Palmar Sur were covered with up to 12 inches of mud. The infrastructural costs across the country exceeded ₡10 billion (US$17.5 million), with repairs expected to take years. With over 306,000 acres (124,000 hectares) of arable land damaged, the agricultural sector reported significant losses. Among the hardest hit crops were sugarcane, vegetables, grains, melons and papayas, especially in the Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Central Valley regions. In Guanacaste, the storm converted pastures and sugarcane fields into ponds and washed out 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of rice. Material damage from Tanya across Costa Rica is estimated at ₡106 billion (US$185 million). Total damages caused by the hurricane in Costa Rica are estimated at ₡322.1 billion (US$562 million), making it the costliest natural disaster in Costa Rican history. At least three people were killed and three others were reported missing across Honduras, including one in Tierra Blanca. One person was also killed in El Salvador. Heavy rains and strong winds impacted portions of western Cuba, particularly Pinar del Río Province. Rainfall reached 4.04 in. in San Juan y Martínez, bringing local reservoirs to near-capacity. Some flooding affected homes in the province, but overall damage was limited. Winds up to 56 mph disrupted electrical service in Cabo San Antonio. The local officials in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi declared states of emergency or also evacuation orders. In preparation for Tanya, officials in Grand Isle, Louisiana, declared a voluntary evacuation. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu met with local, state, and federal officials to discuss preparation measures as the city continued to experience critical deficiencies in its drainage system from two months prior. Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 29 counties in the northern portion of the state. Offshore, oil and gas companies began evacuating production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Six platforms had been cleared by midday on October 5, and a movable rig was moved out of the storm's path. Aircraft of the Air Force Reserve Command's 403d Wing were evacuated from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as a precautionary measure. The military also prepared the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima and transport dock New York to assist with search-and-rescue and recovery effort. Rain-slicked roads may have been a factor in a fatal accident along Interstate 24 in Tennessee. A firefighter was struck and killed by a car while cleaning up storm debris in Morganton, North Carolina. Total damage reached $378.5 million, primarily in southwestern Alabama, due to storm surge and flooding. Hurricane Van After 3 weeks with inactivity, an area of low pressure gradually formed into Tropical Storm Van on December 6. This is extremely rare for a tropical cyclone to form so far east and late off-season. Van encountered above average warm waters and rapidly intensified into a Cat 3 with winds up to 120 mph. This became the 1st off-season major hurricane since 2020. Shortly after peak intensity, wind shear increased, causing it to weaken back to tropical storm status. It later weakened into a tropical depression between Guadeloupe and Dominica and dissipated on December 12 near Hispaniola. On August 22, governments across the Lesser Antilles issued tropical storm watches. The islands of Antigua, Anguilla, Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Kitts were placed under a tropical storm warning the following day. These advisories were discontinued following Van's degradation to a tropical depression on August 24. Leeward Islands Air Transport cancelled 40 flights across the eastern Caribbean due to the hurricane and cruise ships altered their courses. Although members of the Haiti Office of Civil Protection issued an official statement to residents saying Van was not a threat to the country, they convened to discuss potential preparations and the status of emergency supplies. Officials in the United States Virgin Islands distributed sandbags and opened shelters. Météo-France issued an "orange" alert for Guadeloupe Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Martin, advising residents about heavy rain and strong winds. Officials in Guadeloupe shut down several roads a precautionary measure.The expected rainfall was welcomed across the entire affected region, which was suffering from a severe drought. About 2 in (51 mm) of rain fell in Dominica, leading to minor rockslides, and 1.5 in was observed in Antigua. Some disruption to electrical and water supplies occurred on Guadeloupe. Rainfall was less than expected across Puerto Rico, with most areas receiving less than 1 in; a peak value of 2.01 in was observed in Naguabo. The Carraízo Dam, then at a critically low 110.7 ft, received 1.5 in. Though relatively light, the accumulations increased the water level by 12 in. Similarly, water levels at the Fajardo Dam rose by 9.8 in. Hurricane Wendy A tropical wave spawned an area of low pressure in the Bay of Campeche early on September 12. Several hours later, it matured into a tropical depression about 170 mi east-southeast of the city of Veracruz. Initially, the depression moved slowly due to weak steering currents. Around midday on September 13, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Wendy. After initially moving westward toward Veracruz, the storm turned northeastward away from the coast. Favorable conditions allowed it to attain hurricane status on September 14, and the next day Wendy attained peak winds of 80 mph and pressure of 984 mbars. Subsequently, heightened wind shear eroded the storm's convection. Caught between a trough over eastern Mexico and a ridge over the Southeastern United States, the storm turned sharply northwestward and later to the west. On September 16, Wendy made landfall just south of La Pesca, Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico as a strong tropical storm. Early on September 17, the storm weakened to a tropical depression, shortly before degenerating into an area of low pressure. Wendy killing 252 people and causing $107.408 billion pesos (MXN, US$5.7 billion) in damage. The storm produced approximately 5.7 trillion cubic ft of rainwater, equivalent to the combined volume of every reservoir in Mexico. Rainfall from the storm peaked at 20.1 in. in Tuxpan, Veracruz. The rains caused widespread flooding that damaged at least 14,000 houses and hundreds of roads and bridges. In Tamaulipas, where the storm made landfall, the rainfall damaged crops and flooded rivers. The effects of the storm spread into southern Texas, causing high tides and some flooding. After Wendy's onslaught, the Mexican government declared states of emergency in several municipalities. Relief agencies distributed food and other aid to the hardest hit areas, though in Tamaulipas, residents had to rely on assistance from the local Gulf Cartel. Tropical Storm Alpha An area of low pressure formed into Subtropical Storm Alpha. It later transitioned into a tropical storm and made landfall near Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It quickly weakened to a tropical depression and when Alpha moved back over the Atlantic Ocean, it was upgraded back to a tropical storm. On January 11, Alpha transitioned into an extratropical cyclone and dissipated later that day. Before becoming a tropical cyclone, Alpha produced heavy rainfall over Cuba, especially Sancti Spíritus Province, where rainfall peaked at 21.93 in. The rains caused mudslides and forced more than 8,500 people to evacuate their homes. Two people died after trying to cross flooded rivers. Flooding damaged 1,109 houses and destroyed 47 others. Although the rains flooded widespread areas of crop fields, the precipitation was beneficial in refilling reservoirs in drought-struck areas of the country. A band of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall moved across The Bahamas and dropped about 9.7 in of precipitation in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Low-lying areas in New Providence experienced flooding. Residents reported that a tornado touched down in Murphy Town, Abaco, downing power and telephone lines, overturning vehicles and damaging the roofs of three buildings. Rain from the system also affected the Berry Islands, Abaco, and Bimini, as well as several smaller island groups. Prior to being classified as a tropical cyclone, the precursor to Alpha produced locally heavy rainfall in South Florida, reaching 9.7 in at Miami International Airport. The total was the highest daily rainfall ever recorded in the month of December at the station. The rain caused extensive street flooding, especially in Sweetwater and Doral, stranding drivers and afternoon commuters. Miami Dade College was forced to cancel morning classes on December 27. When the NHC issued their first advisory, the agency also issued a tropical storm warning from the Brevard/Volusia county line in Florida to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. A tropical storm watch was issued northward to the mouth of the Santee River in South Carolina. A state of emergency was issued in Jacksonville, Florida, causing the early ending of a jazz festival and Memorial Day events. When Alpha moved ashore, airports around Jacksonville canceled all flights except for JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines. 43 teenagers died in high seas in Daytona Beach, Florida. High surf and rip currents caused lifeguards in the region to restrict swimming in the ocean. The highest storm surge was 3.73 ft at Fernandina Beach. When the storm moved ashore, Alpha produced strong winds along the coast, peaking at 54 mph at Huguenot Park in Jacksonville; nearby Buck Island reported a peak wind gust of 72 mph. The winds prompted the Mathews Bridge and Wonderwood Bridge to close. Toppled power lines left about 38,000 residences in Jacksonville without power. In Jacksonville, flash flooding affected areas along Hogans Creek, and waves damaged a seawall and some docks. The waters entered a condominium and three vehicles. Flash flooding covered a portion of U.S. Route 129 in Suwannee County. Damage in Jacksonville was estimated at $20,000. South of Jacksonville, the outer circulation of Alpha spawned a short-lived EF0 tornado in Port Saint Lucie that caused minor damage to two homes. Damage from the tornado was estimated at $20,000. Another tornado was reported in Yankeetown. Due to its slow motion, Alpha dropped heavy rainfall across Florida, peaking at 15.0 in in Wellborn. Just South of Wellborn, a motorcyclist in Taylor County, Florida was killed when a car hydroplaned on the flooded highway and struck him head-on. First responders noted that it took them 20 minutes to cover the ten miles due to the nonexistent visibility. Gainesville reported 3.25 in on January 1 which broke the previous daily rainfall record. Hernando County Airport broke its daily rainfall record on January 2 with a total of 3.65 in, which was also the greatest daily rainfall to date in 2012. The rains extinguished 80 percent of the 25 wildfires in northern Florida. In Levy County, a waterspout dissipated while moving onshore. The high rains flooded several homes in Citrus County, causing about $108,000 in damage. System Names The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 2031. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 2037 season. This was the same list used in the 2025 season, with the exceptions of Geraldine, Holden, and Orva, which replaced Gabrielle, Humberto, and Olga, respectively. The names Geraldine, Holden, Orva, Sebastian, Tanya, Van, and Wendy were used for the first time this year. The name Rebekah replaced Roxanne after 1995, but was not used in 2001, 2007, 2013, 2019, or 2025. Retirement On April 8, 2032, at the 54th session of the RA IV hurricane committee, the World Meteorological Organization retired the names ''Chantal, Dorian, Elise, Geraldine, Holden, Imelda, Liam, Melissa, Rebekah, Tanya, and Wendy. ''They will be replaced with ''Carrie, Dylan, Elaine, Grant, Harley, Isla, Leah, Mateo, Raleigh, Tanner, and Weston ''for the 2037 hurricane season, respectively. Seasonal Effects Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Future hurricane seasons